In the March 2003 issue of YES! magazine, Ms. Amalia Fuentes's home was featured. She was then 58, and she said she didn't feel like 58. And she revealed her secret.

Below is the actual article published in the said issue of the country'snumber one entertainment magazine.

The secret, she says, is content­ment. These days,grand titles such as movie queen or Elizabeth Taylor of the Philippines do notinterest her one bit. To grab her attention, call hera promdi.

And she hasgood reasons for being happy with that tag—with all of them having to do withTali.

If you want tosee Amalia Fuentes these days, chances are, you will not find her in her famousbrick house in New Manila, or in any of her other fabulous homes in themetropolis. You have to go all the way to Tali beach in Nasugbu, Batangas,where she owns a two-story rest house nestled on a 5,000-square-meter hillylot. It's worth the three hours of travel time. Not only is the viewbreathtaking; Amalia's legendary hospitality makes the visit grand.

Amalia learnedabout Tali beach in 1959 from a former suitor. This suitor's family happened toown the entire beach property and was then already bent on developing it into aresort. The suitor, seeing that Amalia was a nature tripper, brought her toTali.

It was love atfirst sight—with Tali, if not necessarily with the suitor. Amalia says the oldTali reminded her of her days in Toril, Davao City, where she lived for threeyears, between the ages of 10 and 13.

Toril wasinspiration; Tali was foresight. Sensing a good investment, Amalia set asidesome of the money she was earning from acting and staked her claim on a2,000-square-meter prime lot, paying the owners P7 per square-meter. She wasthen 20 and a mother to three-year-old Liezl.

In 1960, inbetween shots, Amalia started building her rest house. She wanted to and sheneeded to: showbiz life was stressful! Plus, she wanted the young Liezel todevelop a sense of country living. "That experience in Toril stood out in mymemory. Na ‘yon bang survival? Para kang nasa jungle."

By 1961, thehouse was habitable. But electricity would come to the area only many yearslater.

For manyweekends over many years, Amalia's beach house was the Muhlach clan's gatheringplace."Pito kaming magkakapatid. I was the eldest. Alex enjoyed hisfishing here. Si Cheng, swimming. Nakakapagdala siya ng mga girlfriendsdito. We had great family gatherings here. This was where we wouldgather every weekend, and it made us closer as a family. My mom was here andshe was happiest because she would see all of us here."

Now it's theturn of Amalia's grandchil­dren to enjoy Tali. Liezl says her kids come herealmost every weekend. "They all know how to waterski. Anggagaling."

Over the years,the Tali house has undergone a lot of changes. Eventually, nipa and bamboo gaveway to steel and concrete. The main house has been converted into the kitchenand dining areas, while the extension soon became the receiving area.

Through it all,Amalia was the sole architect and contractor. There were times she herselfdelivered—and carried—floor tiles to Tali!

"The houseis just so we have a place to come home to at the end of the day. To have aplace na we can pursue our outdoor activities—speedboat, jetski,snorkeling, sightseeing, deep-sea diving. Kasi, hindi naman 'yong bahay ang pinupuntahan dito,e. They come here for the beach, the sea.